Chapter 101

Chapter 101

As the saying goes, a little bickering keeps the spark alive.

Though it couldn’t really be called bickering.

But because Xia Wanzhi had been unhappy, because Xie Qiyan had come clean, and because of one heartfelt confession…

The two of them were now so lovey-dovey they looked exactly like newlyweds.

Especially since they had spent all of last night sleeping in each other’s arms.

When Xia Wanzhi came out of Xie Qiyan’s room that morning, Xia Yongqing caught her red-handed.

Just as she stood there in awkward silence, completely at a loss for how to talk her way out of it, Ms. Ross suddenly popped out and gave her a thumbs-up. “You’ve got your mother’s style back in the day!”

Xia Yongqing couldn’t bear to look, but he didn’t say anything either. Clutching his aching heart, he dragged Ms. Ross away.

The next day was Old Richard’s birthday. He didn’t like making a big fuss of things, and he hadn’t even invited a single outsider. The whole family simply gathered together to celebrate.

Every year on his birthday, Richard would invite his wife, Ms. Qiao Shu, to dance a waltz. It was a habit that had begun the year they fell in love and had lasted until now.

For as long as Xia Wanzhi could remember, she had never missed Old Richard’s birthday.

Every year, when Old Richard and Ms. Qiao Shu danced together, Comrade Xia Yongqing and Ms. Ross would also join in the fun and enjoy a little romance of their own.

For all these years, Xia Wanzhi had been the one sitting in a chair, forced to watch everyone else be sickeningly sweet.

But not this year.

If someone asked her what love was,

she would answer-

her grandparents, her mom and dad.

They were the best interpretation of love.

And at this very moment, as she looked at herself reflected in Xie Qiyan’s eyes, she thought that she and Xie Qiyan were, too.

Soft music flowed from the gramophone. From the elderly to the middle-aged to the young, three generations paired off, gazing at their Lover, immersed in the music, immersed in each other’s loving eyes.

When the music ended, Richard gently kissed his wife’s forehead.

Ms. Ross smiled and pressed a light kiss to Xia Yongqing’s cheek.

As for the young ones, full of youth and hot-blooded impulse-

Xie Qiyan couldn’t hold back his love. He lowered his head, caught Xia Wanzhi’s lips, and kissed her slowly.

“Ahem, ahem, ahem-” Xia Yongqing interrupted.

Xia Wanzhi came back to her senses and realized everyone was watching. “…”

Xie Qiyan looked at Xia Wanzhi with a smile in his eyes. Xia Wanzhi’s cheeks flushed bright red. No matter how shameless she could be with Xie Qiyan, she still couldn’t help getting shy in front of her family. She threw herself into Xie Qiyan’s arms and pretended to be dead.

Everyone was in high spirits today. Old Richard brought out a bottle of fine wine he had been saving for a long time and drank to his heart’s content. Other than Ms. Qiao Shu, who didn’t drink, everyone else had at least a little.

Xia Wanzhi knew her own tolerance. She didn’t want to get drunk, so after toasting Old Richard and wishing him a happy birthday, she switched to juice and other drinks to satisfy her cravings.

Late that night, on the manor’s terrace, Xie Qiyan loosened his tie to get some air and sober up. Beside him stood Xia Yongqing, also dressed in a suit.

Both of them were a little drunk. Only after they had stood there for quite a while did Xia Yongqing finally speak. “Look at you, kid. You really know how to use a sympathy ploy. Played it pretty well, didn’t you?”

According to tradition, Xie Qiyan was supposed to be put through an inspection.

After all, becoming a prospective grandson-in-law or prospective son-in-law wasn’t supposed to be that easy.

But the women of the family were all sentimental. The moment they heard about the miserable parts of Xie Qiyan’s childhood, their hearts softened.

With that move, Xie Qiyan had completely won over the hearts of the women in this family.

“I wouldn’t dare. Grandma wanted to hear it,” Xie Qiyan stated matter-of-factly.

Xia Yongqing gave a cold snort.

The weather was chilly. After being blown by the wind for a while, the two of them had sobered up for the most part. Xia Yongqing didn’t want to say anything else, so he simply warned, “Treat her well.”

As Xia Wanzhi’s parents, they could tell just how much she liked Xie Qiyan.
By now, they had truly felt for themselves how Xie Qiyan felt about Xia Wanzhi.

Xie Qiyan nodded solemnly. “Father-in-law, don’t worry.”

Xia Yongqing kicked at him. “You little brat!”

Xie Qiyan laughed. “I will.”

Xia Yongqing waved him off, telling him to hurry up and leave instead of standing there annoying him.

A daughter grown was a daughter hard to keep. No matter how reluctant he was, he still had to let the young couple have their happiness.

Besides, he knew he was just being sentimental and jealous.

But now he had come around. Having Xie Qiyan around meant one more person to be filial to them.

Most importantly, his precious daughter had someone to take meticulous care of her, which gave him one less thing to worry about.

After returning to the room, Xie Qiyan took off his tie and tossed it onto the bed. His mind seemed a little muddled. His eyes looked clear, but in reality, he didn’t even notice there was someone beside him.

Moving slowly, he took off his suit jacket, then undid the buttons of his shirt. Finally, he pulled out his belt…

He was one step away from being very, very lightly dressed.

If Xia Wanzhi hadn’t covered her eyes and cried out, he might not have realized she was in the room at all.

“You…” Xie Qiyan sobered up. Heat flooded through his entire body, but his reaction was still a few beats too slow. By the time he had covered himself properly, Xia Wanzhi told him she had pretty much seen everything.

Xie Qiyan kept a stern, drunken face. After putting his clothes back on, he even looked like the one who had been taken advantage of. “I can’t suffer this loss for nothing. Teacher Xia, you’ll have to take full responsibility for me.”

Xia Wanzhi blushed, sprang up, rushed over to him, and grabbed his chin, looking utterly arrogant. “You were the one who didn’t look around. You came in and started stripping. A beautiful person like me was sitting right there, and you didn’t even see me!”

Xie Qiyan took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her, resting his chin in her hand. His eyes were full of affection, and so was his voice. “I didn’t see you, but you saw me.”

She had seen him, yet she had not made a sound.

Not until he had peeled away the fabric on his body piece by piece. Only after she had enjoyed the view and realized the next scene was about to be restricted content did she suddenly remember it was unsuitable for young maidens and scream to stop him.

She had the nerve, but when it really reached that point, she would still lose her courage.

Even after being exposed, Xia Wanzhi didn’t feel guilty. Instead, she confidently poked his chest where the buttons still hadn’t been fastened. “What? I’m not allowed to look? I’ll look if I want to. So what? I’m your girlfriend. What’s yours is mine. I have the right to-mmph-”

The end of her sentence was swallowed by a fierce breath. Xie Qiyan lowered his head and captured her endlessly chattering red lips, his movements rough and urgent as he forced her to retreat step by step.

Behind her was the bed.

He sat down, pulling Xia Wanzhi with him.

Perhaps because he had been drinking, Xie Qiyan lost some of his restraint. His burning breath spilled over the side of Xia Wanzhi’s neck, and damp kisses landed on her throat.

All the way down.

Leaving marks behind.

Xia Wanzhi gripped his arm tightly. Her eyes were a little dazed, and her mind had gone somewhat blank.

“Xie Qiyan…”

The moment she spoke, Xie Qiyan’s movements stopped abruptly.

Xia Wanzhi was sitting on his lap, held in his arms.

Once he stopped, he let go of her, flopped back onto the bed, and looked up at Xia Wanzhi, whose little face had been kissed bright red by him.

Suddenly, he laughed.

Xia Wanzhi licked her lips and slapped his thigh. “What are you laughing at?”

Xie Qiyan took her soft hand and gave it a squeeze, reminding her, “Touch me one more time, and you’ll have to help me take care of it.”

Xia Wanzhi wished she hadn’t understood so quickly.

But he was lying there, making no attempt to hide it.

Displaying it openly to her.

His advantages were considerable.

Xia Wanzhi nearly stopped breathing.